PACIFIC WATCH

China

Rise in Industrial Output Sparks Inflation Fears: China's industrial output rose 21.8% in September against the year-earlier month, up from 17.6% in August, the State Statistics Bureau reported. The news sparked fears that September's inflation figures will be worse than the four-year high of 27.1% recorded in major cities in August. Chinese factories continued to speed up production this month, however. The statistics bureau forecast industrial output will rise 22.5% in October and 19% this year as a whole, a bureau official said, confirming figures in the state press.